Slow Cooker Concho Valley Pulled Pork with Spiced Tomato Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Tender slow-cooked pork shoulder infused with regional spices in a rich tomato-based sauce, perfect for sandwiches or tacos. This American-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 500 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 480 min Serves 6 American cuisine 420 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Rub 3 lbs pork shoulder evenly with 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder, massaging the spices into all sides.
  2. Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork shoulder on all sides, about 4 minutes per side, until browned and caramelized.
  3. Step 3: Transfer the pork shoulder to a slow cooker. In a bowl, whisk together 15 oz canned tomato sauce, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/2 cup water.
  4. Step 4: Pour the tomato sauce mixture over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily.
  5. Step 5: Remove pork from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return shredded pork to the sauce and stir to coat before serving warm.

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